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Weaves in the White House?

Now that there's a real possibility of having a Black family in the White House, I've been thinking about what that really means for America. Yes, it will be a historic accomplishment, but what will it mean for those of us who struggle daily to define ourselves in this BET-infested culture? More importantly, how will Barack and Michelle's presence be interpreted by White America? Here are some of the things I've been pondering...

1. What will they think when Michelle pulls out the hot comb to do either her or her children's hair? Better yet, what if she decides to get a weave? Most of us will agree that sistas take pride in our hair and our ability to change it. If Michelle comes out with short hair one day, long hair the next, and braids after that, how will America take it? Even though Condolleezza Rice has been a high-profile woman of African American descent in Washington for many years, her look hasn't changed -- much to our chagrin.

2. Michelle and Barack's relationship -- the good and the bad -- are now open to American scrutiny. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it'll be interesting to see how the media reports on Black Love in Action. We've already seen how tripped out they were by the "fist bump."

3. My sincere hope is that the Obamas' presence on the world stage will shatter the stereotypes perpetuated by BET. Even though it's ludicrous to us, there are people in the world who really believe that were all a bunch of hyper-sexed, ghetto-fied imbeciles who speak poorly and can't control our tempers. The grace and style of Michelle and Barack will go a long way to dispel those myths.

4. I love the fact that Michelle Obama is a dark-skinned sista. Please know and trust, I don't mean in any way to disrespect my lighter-hued sistas, but I think it says something when the future president of the United States chooses a woman who can't be mistaken for any other ethnicity to be his life partner. We've all seen the brothers who, for some reason or another, feel like they haven't arrived until they get a blonde on their arm. The fact that Barack chose a sista who looks more like me and less like Halle Berry makes me proud. I hope other successful brothers will follow suit.

Now you know my thoughts. How about sharing some of yours? I'd love to know what's on your mind...

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